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Pricing on a 2005 Pontiac Vibe.

smeare

New Member
How much would you charge for this? How do you estimate? This would be my first wrap and I am confused as to which vinyl to use as well. I got pricing on 3m 180c which I believe is cast. I also got pricing on oracal 3951 cast and 3551 calendered. I am assuming that cast would be most forgiving.

Am I over my head? I have a business friend who does wraps out of his shop on the east coast and I am pretty sure I can get some training from him. I was saving these questions for him but he might have the swine flu :doh:
There also seems to be a market here where I live and this is what I want to get into.

Just to let you know I have been in the sign industry for over 12 years just not in the digital print area.

Thanks for you help and sorry for being such a noob.
 

ProWraps

New Member
yes you are over your head. practice on your own car, not your customers. my advice isnt to condescend, its to keep you from purchasing a new paint job. are you insured as a shopkeeper that will protect you against damage to the vehicle? are you able to absorb the costs if you do? if wraps arent your market is it profitable to purchase 150' of media and lam to do the job?

these are all things you should ask yourself. 12 years in the sign industry is commendable. unfortunately signs and wraps are two very different animals. no matter how you slice it.

but to answer your question, with the roof, full wrap, we would come in at $2495.
 

smeare

New Member
Yes I plan on getting insurance

Yes I plan on practicing on my own car

Yes I am aware of the costs of vinyl

I will be receiving training

so any thoughts on my questions?
 

Circleville Signs

New Member
Pro Wraps is right on this one. And if you go into this with the attitude of "oh, how hard can it be" you are in for a world of hurt.

Getting basic training from a friend is one thing. Installation issues are only about 30% of the battle. Hell, with some practice you can train a monkey to install vinyl - but how about design/ How about proper color management? What about the "art" of the installation - hiding seams (unless you are going seamless - and if it's your first wrap - good luck with that), stripping the car, proper surface preperation, etc.

You may be the nicest guy in the world, but your response to Pro Wraps makes you look like a know-it-all ass.

Gary
 

smeare

New Member
Ok thanks for your help. I think this is the wrong forum for me. Good luck in what ever you do.
 

ProWraps

New Member
so we give you some great advice and you bolt? give me a break. what we have told you is for your own benefit. listen and learn. stick around, listen to what people tell you and avoid pitfalls.

if this response makes you run, you need much thicker skin. i respect your 12 years in the industry, but you are stepping into an entirely new dimension. and at the end of the day, everyone here is here to help. harsh or not, you will learn and prosper.
 

Checkers

New Member
You have to learn to walk before you can run.

As the others implied, starting off on a Vibe or a similar vehicle is not the way to go when learning how to wrap - especially when it's the client's vehicle.

3M 180C V3 with a matching laminate is the right (best) material to use because it is a cast material that will conform to the irregular surfaces of the vehicle and won't lift up like calendered vinyl.

Since you're new, figuring what to charge and a time estimate would be nearly impossible. But, as a general rule, I take my material cost and double it (I sub out my printing), then add in my labor for design, travel and installation.

Checkers
 

smeare

New Member
all answers to questions that you didnt ask above.

my last line, answers your question.

This was not in your original post when I read it. Sorry if I acted like an "ass". Figuring out the questions in your op are things I have already considered.

Pro Wraps is right on this one. And if you go into this with the attitude of "oh, how hard can it be" you are in for a world of hurt.

Getting basic training from a friend is one thing. Installation issues are only about 30% of the battle. Hell, with some practice you can train a monkey to install vinyl - but how about design/ How about proper color management? What about the "art" of the installation - hiding seams (unless you are going seamless - and if it's your first wrap - good luck with that), stripping the car, proper surface preperation, etc.

You may be the nicest guy in the world, but your response to Pro Wraps makes you look like a know-it-all ass.

Gary

Design will not be a problem for me. I have experience in photoshop illustrator html css flexi and cad software. I know some of this doesnt apply to vehicle wraps but but maybe it would shed some light on my background.

I am confused about what vinyls to use and when to use them properly though. I dont want to purchase a cheap product and pass it on to a customer.

Yes, use cast, with a cast laminate.
Can't go wrong with 180c. Use the v3 version.

Thanks this is helpful.


This makes me think I can get the v3 next to blinker fluid at the auto parts store. Not sure what you are implying but it gives me the notion that you are leading me down the wrong path.

You have to learn to walk before you can run.

As the others implied, starting off on a Vibe or a similar vehicle is not the way to go when learning how to wrap - especially when it's the client's vehicle.

3M 180C V3 with a matching laminate is the right (best) material to use because it is a cast material that will conform to the irregular surfaces of the vehicle and won't lift up like calendered vinyl.

Since you're new, figuring what to charge and a time estimate would be nearly impossible. But, as a general rule, I take my material cost and double it (I sub out my printing), then add in my labor for design, travel and installation.

Checkers

Thank you. This is very helpful to me. When you estimate your materials do you multiply lineal foot by 4.5 divide by 12 to get your square feet? Meaning do you charge for all 54". I was thinking you would.

I wasnt throwing the "12 years of experience" in your face. I just wanted you to know that I am in the industry. This forum seems non to freindly to people who are just getting started or isnt in the industry. And I can understand this.

Right now I am crawling but I am trying to fit all the puzzle pieces together and a couple of those pieces happens to be estimating and vinyl.

This "friend" is actually a customer of the company I currently work for. We get along and I have helped him out in the past with areas in the industry he is not experienced in. Alot of this hinges on whether he wants to help or not.

I work for a company that has two locations. Here in florida and the other is in Colorado which happens to be the headquarters. If the economy doesnt get better closing my location is a real possibility. I would rather expand my knowledge and make myself more of a value then to collect unemployment till I can find a equal paying job. I am not looking to get rich just provide a decent quality of life to my family.

I appreciate your help and knowledge. If you think this is absolutely impossible for me to learn and do then I wont attempt it but if there is a slight chance for success - I in.
 

SSG_SIGNS

New Member
I started doing wraps with 13 years of sign industry experience so I know where you are coming from. My suggestion is to try the different vinyls out there and find the one that fits your needs and abilities, and just keep in mind when doing a complex curved vehicle you need to use the cast film wether it be 3M, Oracal or Arlon (to name a few) make sure you use the cast film, when dealing with flat surfaces like box trucks and trailers you can get away with the high grade calendered film like the 3551 from oracal. I would also recommend doing some training on your shop vehicle first or if you don't have a curvy vehicle go to a junk yard and buy a bumper and start there.
 

Jace161

New Member
Personally I like Oracal, not a single problem....well not counting my end of the day "im going to finish this real quick and grab some food" mistakes.

Hey Pro Wraps, what are you charging per square foot for the vibe? just curious, only a few wraps under my belt and still not sure what price im comfortable with, but it is nice knowing I'm not getting pricing too much or too less.
 

Kentucky Wraps

Kentucky Wraps
all answers to questions that you didnt ask above.

my last line, answers your question.

ProWraps...was WAY nicer than most guys' initial responses would like to have been to your initial questions. Having still not gotten your hands on any of the vinyls to know which to use...much less asking how much to charge to wrap the vehicle was a VERY comical situation at least to me.
Like he said earlier...take the advice you get and take advantage of the lessons learned by others.
Good Luck & try to have fun.
 

Checkers

New Member
I don't like pricing by the square foot because it doesn't account for the many variables you can face when installing a wrap.
That being said, I generally estimate that my panels will be 48" x however many feet long and wing it from there.
Again, since I outsource my printing, I just take my cost, including shipping, and double it to get the retail price for the graphics. This way, if something goes wrong. I don't loose money on getting the job reprinted.

Checkers
 
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